my new 55g

[bubbles12003]

here's my new tank, there is 5 tetras, 15 guppys, 6 baby guppys, 1 gourami, 1 large shark, 1 pleco, 1 striped raphael, 2 corys, 2 silver dollars and 4 zebra danios.

 

[ChrisP]

No substrate? Please tell me you cycled the tank!

 

[knutty]

kinda hard to get a good, mature, cycled tank without substrate. hmm.

 

[Inchworm]

You have a very beautiful tank, bubbles12003

But, please add some fine, round edged, gravel, or sand for the corys. It's their habit to dig and without substrate they are very unhappy, indeed.

 

[ste2k3]

kinda hard to get a good, mature, cycled tank without substrate.

I don't quite know what you mean by this but you can have a perfectly cycled tank with or with out gravel. a lot of fish breeder use "bare bottomed" tanks so that they are easyer to keep clean. the bacteria which grow when the tank is cycling grow in the filter and not in the sand/gravel (unless you use an undergravel filter). I must say though, I would put some in for the corys because they do like it.

 

[Tempestuousfury]

It's a good setup, but I too think you need gravel.

Also, are you going for a natural look? If you are, I suggest getting driftwood to replace the shells, b/c shells (at least for me) invoke images of a marine tank.
Just remember, slope the gravel backward (so the height is lowest towards the front) and place tall plants in the back and small up front. Leave the space in the middle open for swimming and move the net breeder to the side.

These are all opinions (and some facts) and I'm sorry if you already knew this stuff.

 

[knutty]

i completely agree that substrate is not needed but i have found that i get better buffer results in my complete tanks. that is, i can clean filters more frequently, do more water changes..that sort of thing and never have ammonia or nitrite swings.

 

[cory]

I really like the color of your wall! It makes a great background for the fish!

 

[Fuzzy]

nice tank but u need to put some sand or gravel on the bottom.

 

[bubbles12003]

thanks
the reason i didn't put gravel or sand is my larg shark, he eats it and he gets sick after a few days, i'v noticed my corys looking lost for the first few days but they seemed to be fine now, my shark hasn't been eating my gravel and rocks and started eating food finally!! i also removed my substate due to algea problems, i don't know why but it's impossible to get of all of it.
(i did cycle my tank before(2 weeks), most of the water was from my 33 gallon tank they were moved from)

 

[ChrisP]

I would still add some sand though, as already said corys love to dig around as do most bottom dwellers, they will be much happier with it, plus when there is no substrate the light just reflects from the bottom of the tank!